Britain’s double-dip recession is deeper than previously feared, according to
new figures that put pressure on the Government to kick-start growth.

The recession would be even worse, however, were it not for a boost to
government spending, which rose by 1.6 per cent in the first quarter of the
year.

The Office for National Statistics said yesterday that the economy shrank by
0.3 per cent between January and March, worse than the initial estimate of
0.2 per cent, prompting Chloe Smith, the new Economic Secretary to the
Treasury, to say that Britain was in “technical recession”.